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1951 Map of Cave Mountain

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Cave Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1951
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

Camp Irwin Military Reservation dominates the northwestern corner of this high-desert landscape, reflecting the military's significant presence in the Mojave during the early Cold War. The southern half of the map reveals a critical transportation corridor where the Union Pacific railroad and the Arrowhead Trail parallel the Mojave River. This infrastructure supported small rail outposts and settlements like Dunn, New Dunn, and Afton, which served as vital links in the transcontinental network.

Ephemeral hydrology defines the central terrain, with the West Cronese Lake and East Cronese Lake basins situated between the Soda Mountains and the Cronese Mountains. The presence of Bitter Spring and the Mojave River Wash highlights the scarce water resources that dictated the placement of trails and telegraph lines. From the high peaks of Cave Mountain to the low Cronese Valley, this survey documents the industrial and military utility of the California desert.